Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are faithful remakes that retain just about everything from the original games. These include the trainers who would team up with the player as they explored certain areas for the first time in Diamond and Pearl, as all five are here to join players on their adventures once again.

As the player progresses through the game, they will come across five trainers who specialize in a specific stat. Buck, Cheryl, Marley, Mira and Riley will accompany the player as they venture through certain locations, lending them a hand during battles and conveniently healing their team after each fight. They can also be encountered later on in the Battle Tower. Depending on the trainer's field of specialization and the player's team members, these five trainers can easily turn the tide of random Pokémon encounters or scripted battles. Here's how the five NPC traveling companions compare to one another in terms of character, gameplay and story significance.

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5. Mira

Screenshot of Mira from Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pear.

After discovering Wayward Cave on Route 206, the player will eventually come across Mira. As the youngest of the five traveling companions and a scaredy-cat, she will ask to accompany the player to the exit because she got lost while catching Pokémon. Mira specializes in Pokémon with a high Special Attack stat. While battling alongside the player, Mira makes for a good ally who can manipulate the surroundings and put the player at an advantage. In addition to Kadabra's high Special Attack, she tends to use its tricky support moves that affect the weather. Although Mira's companionship can prove useful, though, she has no impact on the main storyline and is incredibly easy to miss altogether.

4. Cheryl

Screenshot of Cheryl from Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pear.

Cheryl can be found in Eterna Forest, and she's the only traveling companion that the player has to team up with to complete the main story, as the rest are found in optional areas. Upon meeting with the player, she will ask them to escort her to the exit because she is afraid that she might encounter Team Galactic. Although she is clad in green, her Cheryl does not specialize in Grass-type Pokémon, instead training the Normal-type Chansey.

As a partner in double battles, Cheryl tries to strike a balance between offense and defense. She specializes in Pokémon that excel in the HP stat, and her Chansey uses Soft-Boiled and Refresh during the battle to restore its HP and heal status conditions, respectively. Unfortunately, Chansey is not very good at offense, so the player will ultimately be responsible for most of the damage dealt while fighting alongside Cheryl.

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3. Marley

Screenshot of Marley from Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

The player can encounter Marley in the section of Victory Road that unlocks after entering the Hall of Fame. This gothic-style girl wants to tag along with the player because she would like to inspect a certain stone tablet found at the end of Route 224. She is very fond of Shaymin and hopes this journey will bring her closer to meeting one.

Marley specializes in Pokémon that excel in the Speed stat. When teamed up with the player, she uses Arcanine and makes the most of its Extreme Speed and Agility moves. Combined with Arcanine's movepool and good offenses, the player can secure a quick and painless victory with Marley as a tag battle partner.

2. Riley

Screenshot of Riley from Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

Riley makes his first appearance on Iron Island. He will ask the player to team up with him because the Pokémon in the area are restless, and he believes something is afoot. This will ultimately help the player traverse the mines faster and with minimal setbacks.

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Riley's specialty are Pokémon that excel in the Attack stat. During the battles with the player at his side, Riley frequently uses Lucario's offensive moves, such as Metal Claw and Force Palm. After crossing paths with some Team Galactic grunts and defeating them, Riley will gift the player with a Pokémon egg that will eventually hatch into a Riolu. Completing Riley's storyline is one of the easiest ways to obtain Riolu in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. The combination of a story-related reason to travel and a great parting gift make Riley stand out among the others.

1. Buck

Screenshot of Buck from Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

While Riley's journey may include an encounter with Team Galactic, Buck's connection to the Sinnoh region and its story run far deeper. His brother is Flint, a member of the Sinnoh's Elite Four, and their grandfather is in charge of the Battleground. Buck is first seen in the Fight Arena, where he watches the player battle Barry. He later asks to accompany the player at Stark Mountain because he underestimated the strength of the Pokémon dwelling there.

Buck is a strong trainer who specializes in Pokémon that have high Defense and Special Defense stats. As a tag battle partner, Buck relies on his Claydol, who uses the moves Reflect and Light Screen to help reduce the damage his team takes. Plus, Buck's quest to obtain the Magma Stone is a requirement for capturing the Legendary Pokémon Heatran, which makes him the most important of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl's traveling companions.

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